word by word

WELCOME to the place where I set my books wandering on the internet.By way of introduction I invite you for a glimpse behind the books.If you’d prefer to move on to the books themselves, go to Books.

GALLIMAUFRY is just what the title means: a hodge podge of unconnected things.So unconnected that sometimes I wonder what goes on inside my own head.Imaginary nonsense. Mental torment. Silly hilarity. Sadness. Pain. Hope.These stories and poems have been written over many years, several kept at first on paper, then transferred to my hard drive, others coming into being as computer files. Each had its own beginning, its own little spark to get it going.And one day a spark of a different kind suggested to me that it was time to go through these files, cull them, and publish the results.

FIFTEEN ALLIGATORS is the result of a sleepless night. All the gimmicks I use to fall asleep had failed, when ‘Fifteen alligators went out for tea’ sounded in my head. It had to be tea, of course, because ‘coffee’ wouldn’t fit into the rhythm.Before long I had these fifteen alligators going up and down the street, in and out, here and there, because for some reason going out for tea isn’t that simple when you’re an alligator.Finally, fifteen-and-then-some alligators later, I fell asleep.But the kernel of it stayed in my head, and the next day grew into the full length poem.The illustrations came later, when I decided to make this it into book for small children.

BOLAND, THE BEGINNING, is a story where reality and fantasy meet.The novel’s setting is largely the village of Port Elwood, which is based on the real village of Port Elgin, on the coast of New Brunswick. This tiny community intrigued me from the first time I visited it. It felt like a place where stories had happened, and could happen again.Especially a story like Boland.The people of Port Elwood’s fantasy counterpart, Boland, are committed to peace and mental development. Wishful thinking, on my part, that such a place might exist. But this is fiction, so my wishful thinking can bear fruit.Enter Boland, and Port Elwood, both inspired by Port Elgin.

MUSINGS OF PER GRINSOM The reflections and stories of Per Grinsom were written when I lived in Fredericton, New Brunswick.I ran a little European gift shop that sold everything from kids’ toys to crystal bowls to chocolate.As a bit of a spoof, I made up a quote from the then non-existent book, Musings of Per Grinsom, and posted it to cover a mark on the wall. The quote drew comments, and before I knew it, what had begun as a joke ended up engaging me for months, as each reflection, observation, and story, was formed and re-formed into the Musings of this other me, this Per.Some of the Musings come from experiences that reach back years. Some are purely works of imagination, and some are a mixture of the two.